Cannabis seeds explained: types, how to choose, and what to grow in Europe

Buying cannabis seeds in Europe is mostly a question of matching genetics to your situation: how much space you have, what your climate does in October, how much time you want to spend, and whether you want a plant that forgives mistakes or one that rewards attention. This guide explains the choices in plain terms, then points you to the strain pages and breeder pages where the detail lives.

One thing first. Seeds are sold across the EU as collectable genetics, and in most countries owning them is legal. Germinating them is a different matter and depends entirely on where you live — Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Czechia and Malta each treat home growing differently, and the rules change. Check your own country before you plant anything.

The four seed types, and which one you want

Feminised

Bred so that every seed grows into a female plant — the one that produces flowers. This removes the job of spotting and removing males, which is why feminised seeds are the default for most growers. If you are not sure what to buy, buy feminised.

Regular

Roughly half male, half female. You will need to identify and remove males before they pollinate the rest, which takes a few weeks of attention. Growers choose regular seeds to make their own crosses, to take cuttings from a plant with no feminisation history, or because a particular classic line only exists in regular form.

Autoflowering

These flower on a fixed timer — usually 8 to 12 weeks from germination — regardless of day length. That makes them the quickest route to a harvest, the easiest for balconies and small tents, and the only realistic choice for an outdoor grow in northern Europe that needs to finish before the autumn rain. The trade-off is size: autos stay smaller and yield less per plant than a photoperiod strain given the same time.

Photoperiod

The traditional type. The plant grows as long as it gets more than about 14 hours of light, and flowers when nights get longer — under lights that means you switch to 12 hours on, 12 off; outdoors it means late summer. Photoperiod plants get bigger and yield more, and you control when they flower indoors. Outdoors their harvest date is set by the strain’s flowering time: an 8-week strain finishes in late September in the Netherlands, a 12-week sativa may not finish at all.

Two sub-types you will see in the shop: fast version seeds are photoperiod strains bred to flower one or two weeks quicker than the original, useful in short-season climates; CBD-rich seeds are selected for a high CBD-to-THC ratio, for growers who want the plant and the flavour without a strong psychoactive effect.

Choosing by climate

Where you grow matters more than almost anything else when choosing a strain to put outdoors.

• Northern Europe (Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, northern France, Poland): autoflowers, or photoperiod strains with a flowering time of 8–9 weeks at most. Anything longer runs into October damp and bud rot. A greenhouse or polytunnel stretches this to 10 weeks.
• Central and Alpine regions (Austria, Switzerland, Czechia, Hungary): similar to the north, with the added risk of early frost at altitude. Autos and fast versions are the safe bet.
• Mediterranean (southern France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Croatia): almost anything works, including 11–13 week sativas that need the long warm autumn. Heat and water are the limiting factors, not daylight.
• Indoors anywhere: climate stops mattering and space takes over. Flowering time becomes a question of electricity cost and patience, and plant height decides whether you need to train the plant to fit the tent.

Choosing by space and experience

Each strain page on this site lists plant height (small, medium, large) and the breeder’s yield rating. Read them together with the flowering time:

• A first grow goes best with a medium-height, indica-dominant or balanced hybrid, feminised, with a flowering time under 9 weeks. These forgive overfeeding, tolerate a slightly wrong temperature and finish before you lose patience.
• A small tent (60–80 cm) suits autoflowers or compact indicas; tall sativas will hit the light within weeks of flowering.
• A 1.2 m tent or larger opens up most of the catalogue, with topping or a screen (ScrOG) to keep taller strains level.
• Experienced growers looking for the top of the potency range should look at the very-high-THC listings (25%+), which cluster in the newer American-style genetics — Ethos, In House, Anesia and the Royal Queen Seeds USA line — and generally need tighter environmental control to reach their numbers.

How to read a strain page

Every strain page here follows the same layout so you can compare quickly. The at a glance table gives the breeder’s own ratings for genetics, THC and CBD bands, flowering time, height and yield. Planning a grow turns those figures into a timeline — total weeks from seed indoors, and a realistic outdoor harvest window for European latitudes. Similar strains lists three alternatives from the same breeder with the same genetic class, in case the one you came for is sold out. The FAQ answers the three questions people ask most, and the buying section links to the product in the shop.

Two cautions when reading any seed data, ours included. THC and yield figures come from the breeder and describe what the strain can do under good conditions; a first grow usually lands at half to two-thirds of the yield figure. And “flowering time” for photoperiod strains counts from the day you switch to 12/12 (or from late August outdoors), not from germination — add 3–5 weeks of vegetative growth to get the total.

The breeders

The shop carries around 1,600 strains from 46 breeders. A few landmarks for orientation:

• Dutch classics — Sensi Seeds, Dutch Passion, Serious Seeds, Paradise Seeds, Greenhouse Seed Co. Decades-old lines, stable genetics, strong outdoor options.
• Spanish breeders — 00 Seeds, Sweet Seeds, Pyramid Seeds, Ripper Seeds, Eva Seeds, Silent Seeds. Known for reliable autoflowers and feminised lines bred for Mediterranean conditions, usually at friendly prices.
• Volume specialists — Royal Queen Seeds, Barney’s Farm, Seedsman, Fast Buds. Very wide catalogues covering every type; Fast Buds in particular for autos.
• American-style genetics — Ethos Genetics, In House Genetics, Humboldt Seed Co., DNA Genetics, Anesia Seeds, Mephisto Genetics. The current potency and flavour frontier; often regular or limited-release lines.

Each breeder page lists what is stocked, how the range splits between autos and photoperiod, and the strains customers buy most.

Storing seeds

Seeds keep for years if stored cool, dark and dry. A sealed container in the fridge door (not the freezer) is the standard method; add a silica gel sachet if you have one. Avoid repeated warming and cooling — take out what you need and put the rest straight back. Viability drops noticeably after three to four years even in good storage, so buy for the next season or two rather than the next decade.

Frequently asked questions

Is it legal to buy cannabis seeds in Europe?

In most EU countries, yes — seeds are sold and shipped as collectable genetics or souvenirs. Germination and cultivation are regulated separately and vary by country. Express Highs ships from EU stock to EU addresses.

Autoflowering or photoperiod — which is better?

Neither; they suit different situations. Autos are faster, smaller and finish on schedule regardless of season. Photoperiod plants grow larger, yield more, and let you control the flowering date indoors. For a short outdoor season or a small space, choose autos; for maximum yield indoors or in the Mediterranean, choose photoperiod.

What does “feminised” mean?

The seeds are bred to produce female plants only, so you do not have to identify and remove males. Almost all seeds sold today are feminised.

How many seeds should I buy?

Breeders quote germination rates above 90%, so for a grow of four plants a pack of five seeds is normally enough. Buy one or two extra for the first grow of a new strain.